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Natural Hair Dye Methods:
Looking for all natural hair dyes and safe ways to color your hair? Then you are going to love this post! All of the methods for using natural hair dye listed below are 100% natural and all of them are using edible ingredients and herbs!
Many people want to change their hair color to achieve a new look or to cover gray or white hair. But they do not want to use dangerous chemicals that can be hazardous to their health. These are great alternatives to chemical dyes and all of these natural hair dye methods are very effective. I have tried almost all of them myself and they really do work!
Why You Should Use Natural Hair Dye
Chemicals in hair dye have been linked to a variety of very harmful effects. The use of hair dye has been linked to cancer, allergic reactions, and respiratory disorders. You also have to be careful of hair dyes marked as “natural” because they even contain hazardous chemicals such as resorcinol, ammonia or peroxide, and PPD, even if it is a reduced amount. PPD damages the DNA of human cells and often causes allergic reactions. Evidence has shown that those who use hair dye are at an increased risk of developing Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia.
How Natural Hair Dye Works:
Most of these natural hair dyes work progressively, although some of them have immediate results. The progressive hair dyes typically require being used more than once or repetitively to reach your desired color. Although, even with the natural hair dyes that work progressively, immediate results can still occur even from just one use.
Natural hair dye, such as the black walnut powder is one of the more potent and powerful natural hair dyes. With this natural hair dye the change in color can be quite drastic, if that is your desired result. Coffee is another one of the natural hair dyes that can be observed to make a great difference from just one use also.
How to Test Natural Hair Dye
Before using these natural hair dye methods you may want to test the natural hair dye you choose on a test strand to see how it will affect your hair color. This may be of particular importance if you have recently used any chemical hair dyes or rinses to test how the natural hair dye will react when applied.
Natural Hair Dye Options:
1. Using lemons
The method of using lemons to lighten or add highlights to hair has been known of for a long time. This all natural hair dye works more slowly over several uses. The lemon juice acts as a natural bleach and its lightening affects can be intensified by exposing the lemon treated hair to sunlight.
2. Walnuts and black walnuts
The method of black walnut natural hair dye is one of the more powerful ways to color your hair. Black walnuts darken your hair when you use walnut hulls. The dye from black walnuts is very powerful and outer casings tend to stain everything they touch. You can use either the walnut hulls or walnut powder. For the hulls, you would need to crush them and then cover them with boiling water and let them “soak” for three days. Or if you are using black walnut powder, boil water and pour a couple tablespoons of the powder in the water. Let the mixture steep from for a few hours or longer if you are looking to achieve a darker color. (the longer the mixture soaks and steeps the darker the color will become). I tried this natural hair dye method and it worked great. You can see my before and after pictures. I also wrote down the steps I did for the using black walnut powder.
3. Coffee
Strongly brewed black coffee can act as a darkening hair rinse. Let the coffee steep for a longer period of time and then pour the coffee on hair or dip you hair into the coffee mixture.
4. Beet Juice, Carrot Juice
These natural hair dyes can be used to add red tints to your current color. They can be used separately or together. For natural redheads, this method can boost their color. For those with blonde hair beet juice hair dye can create more of a strawberry blonde shade. This natural hair dye mixture of beet juice can be used as often as you like to reach your desired color. Apply the beet and carrot juice mixture to the hair and work it through the hair. The beet juice mixture should be left on the hair for at least 60 minutes.
5. Sage Tea
Sage tea is one the oldest techniques for coloring darker hair. The rinse can be made from sage leaves or sage tea bags. The sage tea darkens and deepens brunet hair. This natural hair dye can also be used to cover gray hair. This rinse can be made by steeping the dried herbs in boiling water for one hour or longer depending on your desired shade. You can continue to apply the rinse weekly to also reach your desired color.
6. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is effective for lightening your hair color. Steep the tea bags in boiling water for at least half an hour. After shampooing your hair and towel drying pour the tea over your hair. This can be reapplied to reach your desired color.
7. Black Tea
Black tea acts as a stain to darken your hair color. Brew a strong mixture of black tea from one or a couple of tea bags with boiling water. Let the tea steep for at least half an hour. After you shampoo your hair and towel dry, pour the tea over and through your hair. Some rinse the mixture out and others leave the tea in their hair. To reach your desired shade you can reapply black tea several times.
You can check out my results with black walnut hair dye and our discussion posts about the natural hair dye methods that have worked for others.
Traditionally, nettle leaves were used to darken hair (and supposedly hide greys). My mum used it to deepen her black in her hair.
I would recommend a similar method as the one described above for sage.
WARNING: use gloves to forage the nettles 😉 or use dry nettles / nettle powder,
I am am.African woman and want something natural to darken my gray hair. What is good to use?
I have indigo powder and henna which I bought recently
I’ve never tried henna before. I have been wanting to try it though. Let us know how it works if you give it a try.